Yes, I know the answer is either "very" or "it depends" but I need to ask anyway.
Need to be at Heathrow for 5pm ish, leaving from the Midlands on what would normally be a 2 hour drive (5 miles of dual carriage way and 5 of single carriage way A-roads at the start then straight on the M42 and M40). Obviously the impending "weather bomb" is going to add some time to this.
Guesses needed on how bad it will be and how long it will take/how early should I leave?
Yes, I know the answer is either "very" or "it depends" but I need to ask anyway.
.....
Guesses needed on how bad it will be and how long it will take/how early should I leave?
My guess: Leave at 10am.
Go today and swerve it? Night in a Premier Inn and an afternoon grazing in the airport? Stress free.
EDIT four Premier Inns by the airport for under £60
If you need to be there, then as above: hotel it tonight. But it's a weather forecast for tomorrow - they tend to err on the doom and gloom side of things. 50/50 as to if the event will happen or not. I'd wing it and see what happens tomorrow. Bugger all to do at Heathrow if you are there for the day. And anyway, if you are picking someone up, if the weather is bad, how would you get back home?
Monday morning I went to Hayes, just round the corner from the airport, I feared the worst but it was a very good drive, and mid afternoon going home was even better.
Monday morning I went to Hayes, just round the corner from the airport, I feared the worst but it was a very good drive, and mid afternoon going home was even better.
That may be the case but the schools are back now so it’ll likely be horrendous tomorrow.
Nothing around Heathrow on a Friday afternoon is pleasant, no matter what time of year.
I’d either head down tonight and stay in a hotel or get down very early. The roads and tunnels in to T2 &T3 have been very congested recently so can add to the delays.
Monday morning I went to Hayes, just round the corner from the airport, I feared the worst but it was a very good drive, and mid afternoon going home was even better.
I think he's talking about the potential effects of the impending storm.
And anyway, if you are picking someone up, if the weather is bad, how would you get back home?
Not a pick-up, me being dropped off.
The storm seems to be mainly away from the South East, I most concerned with getting out of the Midlands. I do wonder if a hotel tonight in London would be a good idea.
I do wonder if a hotel tonight in London would be a good idea
Id be getting a shifty on now then, I imagine roads will be rammed soon, the rain front is already crossing the midlands too.
Down tonight, boring day on the outskirts of Heathrow tomorrow then. (I work at Heathrow, so may be biased as to how dull it is on the outskirts. You could pop over to stand with Big Jet TV if the weather is bad?)
FWIW my phone is predicting light snow from 5am for Surrey, tailing off to being a rainy day from lunchtime.
FWIW my phone is predicting light snow from 5am for Surrey, tailing off to being a rainy day from lunchtime.
That's exactly what mine is saying. As I say, the Heathrow end does not give me to many concerns, the Midlands end does.
The M25 on a Friday after lunch is like an scene from mad max, in slow motion. I need to drive from Cambridge to Poole, I'm not leaving till later though as hopefully the weather will have eased and the road settled down a bit, maybe.
The M25 on a Friday after lunch is like an scene from mad max, in slow motion. I need to drive from Cambridge to Poole, I'm not leaving till later though as hopefully the weather will have eased and the road settled down a bit, maybe.
The working plan is/was to leave at 12pm. And we're going to T5 so avoiding the worst of the M25.
Generally, the motorways are fine even when there's snow (many years of commuting on M40/M42/M6 or M1 from just outside the M25), just slower. Forecast has snow at the Birmingham end and possibly the Chilterns - if you're happy that you'll get on to the M40 I wouldn't worry, just add more time.
With this sort of weather forecast - whatever you decide you'll wish you had chosen the other option!
You still here? You said ‘we’ and it’s a Friday so not a work trip? Why take a chance 🤷♂️
I do wonder if a hotel tonight in London would be a good idea.
Don't go out now, tonight is when the snow is going to be falling. I'll be cleared or melted by tomorrow mid morning.